Rob Reiner, who died Sunday at the age of 78 alongside his wife, Michele, had a career that was remarkable for its versatility. After breaking out as a sitcom star with “All in the Family,” Reiner, the son of the revered comedian Carl Reiner, went on to direct more than 20 films that showed a vast range. Rob Reiner never stuck to one genre, dabbling in rom-coms, Stephen King adaptations and wordy dramas. Along the way he continued to deliver memorable turns as a performer onscreen, never losing his own comedic flair. Here’s where to watch some of his best.

1971

‘All in the Family’

Reiner first became widely known to most of the American television-watching public as Mike Stivic on Norman Lear’s groundbreaking sitcom “All in the Family.” He became even better known for the insult of a name Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) hurled at him: “Meathead.” With his mustache, long hair and bell bottoms, Mike’s very presence was aggravating to the conservative Archie. Reiner knew how to balance on the very fine line that Lear was walking: As a representative for progressive youth, Mike was often the bastion of reason against the bigoted Archie, but Reiner played him just goofy enough that you understood Archie’s annoyance as well.

Stream it on Pluto TV and Tubi.

1984

‘This Is Spinal Tap’

As Reiner would tell it in an interview with CBS, it’s Lear who finally convinced executives to allow Reiner to make the rock mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap,” telling his peers at Embassy Pictures, “Ya gotta let him do it, he’s so crazy.” Reiner co-wrote the wildly funny film along with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, the three of whom play members of the fictional, dopey British band of the title. And while Reiner directed, perfecting the style that Janet Maslin wrote in her review was “indistinguishable from the real thing,” he also played a key role. As the onscreen filmmaker Marty DiBergi, Reiner is an impeccable straight man, setting up Guest, McKean and Shearer for their most ridiculous jokes.

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1986

‘Stand By Me’

“Stand By Me,” an adaptation of Stephen King’s novella “The Body,” almost immediately became a coming-of-age touchstone, which was something of a surprise to its director. Before release, Reiner thought, “There’s no way this picture is going to do business, because no one who went to ‘Rambo’ will go to see our film.” A lyrical story about the friendship of four boys looking for a dead body, “Stand By Me” was a feat of casting. Reiner tapped the rising stars Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O’Connell to be the leads and then worked intensely with them to create the naturalism that is the film’s hallmark. “If it wasn’t for Rob, the acting wouldn’t have been half as good,” O’Connell told The New York Times.

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1987

‘The Princess Bride’

While “The Princess Bride” has become an indelible classic, arguably one of the most beloved films of all time, it started as a passion project for Reiner, who was given the novel by his father, Carl. Armed with William Goldman’s witty adaptation of his own story, “The Princess Bride” is a nimble delight. The story within a story (told by a wisecracking Peter Falk to his grandson, played by Fred Savage) tells of the beautiful Buttercup and her farm-boy love, Westley (Cary Elwes), who eventually becomes the Dread Pirate Roberts. But the joy is in the array of delightful performers Reiner assembled to create this colorful world. There’s Mandy Patinkin as the passionate Inigo Montoya seeking revenge; Wallace Shawn as the sputtering Vizzini; and Andre the Giant with a memorable turn as Fezzik. The movie nails both the sweeping romance as well as the divinely silly moments.

Stream it on Disney+ and Hulu.

1989

‘When Harry Met Sally …’

Rom-com fans have been in love with Reiner’s work for decades, and the way it presents a picture-perfect version of Manhattan while its characters squabble. Though “When Harry Met Sally …” is best regarded as one of Nora Ephron’s towering works as a screenwriter, Reiner’s directorial stamp is all over it. In fact, he was the one who suggested Ephron write a script about the differences between men and women after a lunch where she was uninterested in another project Reiner and his producing partner Andrew Scheinman were pitching.

“She interviewed us like a journalist, got all these thoughts down, and that became the basis for Harry, and she became the basis for Sally,” Reiner later said. Reiner also put his mother in the famous Katz’s scene where Sally fakes an orgasm, allowing the older woman to deliver the enduring line, “I’ll have what she’s having.” Perhaps most crucially, Reiner suggested a change of ending after he met his wife, Michele, on the set. Initially, Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) were going to go their separate ways. After falling in love himself, Reiner advocated for a happier conclusion.

Stream it on Starz. Buy it on Amazon, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.

1990

‘Misery’

After “When Harry Met Sally …,” Reiner swerved. Diving back to the world of Stephen King for “Misery,” Reiner directed the story about a romance novelist, Paul Sheldon (James Caan), who is kidnapped and tortured by his biggest fan, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates). Reiner told The Times that while he was not a fan of horror, he did identify with the Paul Sheldon character, as an artist associated with one very famous work. (In Reiner’s case, that was Meathead.) “What was intriguing to me was not the horror aspect so much as the torture, the turmoil, the angst that any creative person goes through in order to try to create, in order to try to grow,” he said. In the final product, he crafted a sense of deep unease that allowed his actors, particularly Bates in her Oscar-winning role, to shine in deep close-ups.

Buy it on Amazon, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.

1992

‘A Few Good Men’

Reiner’s first of two collaborations with the screenwriter Aaron Sorkin was this thrilling adaptation of Sorkin’s 1989 play about loyalty and justice in the tightly knit boys club of the U.S. Marines. Reiner upped the star quotient bringing in Tom Cruise to play the dogged JAG lieutenant Daniel Kaffee and Jack Nicholson as the towering Col. Nathan R. Jessep. It’s Nicholson who delivers the legendary line, “You can’t handle the truth.” Once again, as was so often the case throughout his career, Reiner spoke about finding the personal connection to the piece. In this case, he related to Kaffee.

“Kaffee is in the same business as his father; I’m in the same business as mine,” he told The Times. “Everywhere I went when I started out, it was ‘Carl Reiner this,’ ‘Carl Reiner that.’ He’s the nicest man in the world, incredibly sweet-natured, but it was frightening to be compared to him.” Reiner also, however, understood the value of letting fine performers dig their teeth into Sorkin’s spiky words, yielding some of cinema’s most memorable courtroom scenes.

Stream it on Philo. Buy it on Amazon, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.

1993

‘Sleepless in Seattle’

Although his career as a director was flourishing, Reiner would continue to act occasionally. One of his most beloved turns was in “Sleepless in Seattle,” directed by Ephron. Reiner played the buddy to Tom Hanks’ grieving widower, Sam Baldwin. In one memorable scene, as they await bowls of clams, Reiner warns Sam about what to expect in the dating world. “Tiramisù,” he says matter-of-factly. Sam is perplexed: “What is tiramisù?” “You’ll find out,” Reiner says, his timing still on point.

Stream it on Starz. Rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.

1995

‘The American President’

Reiner made no secret of his political advocacy and he teamed again with Sorkin for this hopeful, idealized White House-set romance. Michael Douglas plays the title role of Andrew Shepherd, president and widower, who falls in love with the fast-talking, passionate environmental lobbyist Sydney Wade, portrayed by Annette Bening. Now, “The American President” looks like a particularly rosy vision of American politics with Shepherd as a leader bound to do the right thing and win the woman at the same time.

Rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.

2007

‘The Bucket List’

This film about two men dying of cancer (Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) who decide to make the most of their remaining time was a surprising box office success for Reiner, who was in need of one after some notable flops and time spent devoted to political pursuits. He was drawn to the screenplay by Justin Zackham for what he called parallels to “Stand By Me,” he told The Times. That story was about boys wrestling with mortality; this one was about men in their twilight years.

Rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.

2012

‘New Girl’

Reiner returned to sitcoms in 2012 for a recurring stint on “New Girl” playing the divorced father of the show’s heroine, Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel). Reiner slid seamlessly into the kooky cast of characters, making his debut in a memorable Thanksgiving episode where Jess tries to do a “parent trap” to get her folks get back together. (Her mother was played by Jamie Lee Curtis.) Whenever Reiner showed up he was always welcome, melding both the show’s hangout energy with his intensity as an overprotective father.

Stream it on Disney+, Hulu and Peacock.

2013

‘The Wolf of Wall Street’

Few recognized the potential of Reiner’s talent to slot into an acting role in a more intense, dramatic film. But Martin Scorsese did just that with “The Wolf of Wall Street,” casting him as Max Belfort, father to the wild man stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio). Max is the accountant who serves as the enforcer for his son’s often out-of-control firm. Whenever he’s onscreen it seems like Reiner is having the time of his life spewing the profanity of the dialogue, leaning into Max’s furious anger with a sort of glee.

Stream it on , Paramount+, Pluto TV and Tubi.

2023

‘Albert Brooks: Defending My Life’

Reiner constructed this tribute to the comedy great Albert Brooks as a conversation between friends. In between the typical historical footage that defines most documentaries, Reiner chats with his friend of almost 60 years over cheesecake. Reiner’s admiration for his pal is clear from the outset. “I’ve always looked up to you,” he says. The rest of the documentary supports that, offering up a portrait of Brooks as a unique genius from a loving perspective.

Stream it on .

2025

‘The Bear’

This year, Reiner appeared in the fourth season of the Emmy-winning TV show “The Bear” for a stint as a businessman who wants to collaborate with one of the title restaurant’s employees to turn the window slinging Italian beef sandwiches into a franchise operation. With a baseball cap and a no-nonsense attitude, Reiner is perfectly at home in the world of the highly lauded show about Chicago food professionals.

Stream it on Hulu.